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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · stem · stock · chip · safe · lean · spring · kick

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. stock — goods
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. stock — shares
  7. spring — a coil
  8. spring — the season
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — to eat
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. spring — of water
  15. lean — thin
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. lean — to bend
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. stem — to come from
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. kick — in football

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com